Kick Axe, a new CBS recording group, is wrapping up a week's performance at Alec Arms tonight.
The five-member band, together eight years, recently made preparations to release their first album, entitled Vices. All original material is on the album, being pressed Monday.
Kick Axe is a heavy metal band with emphasis on vocal harmony. The Vancouver-based group does about 75 per cent original material. The 25 per cent copy includes tunes by Led Zeppelin and Judas Priest.
Kick Axe includes lead singer George Criston from Milwuakee, Wisc. The other members - all from Regina - include Victor Langen on bass guitar, Raymond Arthur Harvey and Larry Gillstrom on lead guitars, and drummer Brian "Vice" Gillstrom.
The group's road manager, Dean Zurowski says Kick Axe has a lot of things in the works, including the new album.
Vices will be released in both Canada and the United States. It was recorded at Spencer Proffer's 24 track studio in Hollywood.
"We lucked out on that," says Brian Gillstrom. "The man has done some excellent work in Music, including bands like Quiet Riot and Billy Thorpe. He (Proffer) also has a gold record for doing Paul Anka's Having My Baby."
Kick Axe did the soundtrack for the movie Up the Creek, which also featured Heart, Cheap Trick, The Beach Boys, Ian Hunter and Randy Bishop.
Kick Axe did the song Thirty Days in the Hole, which was written and originally done by Humble Pie, says Brian Gillstrom. The song ended up on the soundtrack LP.
Gillstrom adds Black Sabbath is using four of Kick Axe's original songs on their next album. What a great carrer boost!
Another plus for the band is that they are sponsored by Harley Davidson and even have a motorcycle named after them.
The experimental promotion is on the Harley XR1000m which will be renamed the Kick Axe 1000. Part of the album cover is painted on the fenders and gas tank of the motorcycle.
One of the sportster bikes is up for grabs in a promotion in Milwaukee, and if it turns out well, they plan to turn out an additional 100. Entry forms to win this bike are available at most record stores.
